I cant keep mushrooms. Why?

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Oh WOW

Is that your t-5's??

if you have shrooms stick them in those shaded spots!

ya, those are my t-5's. I'll try to stick the shrooms in the shade.

This is my lighting combo:

1 54w 12,000k Giesemann Aquablue
2 54w actinics
1 54w 18,000k Power-Glo Hagen

is that a good color combo?
 
I think its a good color combo BUT with that pic you posted I think any shroom would like to be in the shade.

Shrooms dont like high light. I think you would see great improvement in the shade.

I dont run t-5's ( I have halides) but that looks really bright for shrooms. Dont be too quick for change. It may take some time for them to adjust to the shade before they get back to normal.
Your tank looks great, dont get me wrong. Great lighting, bright and colorful. But I feel it may be a little too much for shrooms.
 
I always thought it might be too bright, but when asking before in previous threads I was told that 216w's would not be TOO much for the shrooms. But I was alway under the impression that Light Intensity was more important than Watts. and my tanks light is very intense, or so it appears to be to me. I think your right though. My lights are probably too bright.
 
It looks much too bright IMO. It looks to me as if there is not enough rock in the tank total. Did you say it was 18" deep? my best mushrooms grow withen spaces between rocks, sometimes at angles and near overhangs. My bigest one grew like crazy in a 20 gallon tall, right dead center at about 45 degrees off a large convoluted rock cliff.
 
I always thought it might be too bright, but when asking before in previous threads I was told that 216w's would not be TOO much for the shrooms. But I was alway under the impression that Light Intensity was more important than Watts. and my tanks light is very intense, or so it appears to be to me. I think your right though. My lights are probably too bright.

Not to change the thread on you but Watts is a measurement of energy not light so the watts per gallon thing borders on myth. Its all about the par at the various levels in our tanks. Since T5 is not point source light like MH there are no darker spots unless we create them with rocks, other corals and such. Another tidbit...MH and T5 are different types of light. 1 watt for a T5 is the same as 1.8 watts for a MH. 216 watts in T5 lighting is the same as 389 watts in MH.

Thats why T5s are so bright in your tank. With certain bulbs in that fixture you could put some sps in that same tank!
 
I do need more rock that is for sure. I only have maybe 35 lbs. and I need about 35 more..lol Should I run a couple 6,500k to less intensify the light?
 
Not to change the thread on you but Watts is a measurement of energy not light so the watts per gallon thing borders on myth. Its all about the par at the various levels in our tanks. Since T5 is not point source light like MH there are no darker spots unless we create them with rocks, other corals and such. Another tidbit...MH and T5 are different types of light. 1 watt for a T5 is the same as 1.8 watts for a MH. 216 watts in T5 lighting is the same as 389 watts in MH.

Thats why T5s are so bright in your tank. With certain bulbs in that fixture you could put some sps in that same tank!

thanks for the info. Light is something I have never really understood. I do need to get more rock in the tank, but I'm on a strict budget for a couple of weeks.

I can try to bring the lights off the water a couple more inches, but I dont know how much good that will do
 
I do need more rock that is for sure. I only have maybe 35 lbs. and I need about 35 more..lol Should I run a couple 6,500k to less intensify the light?

Running a lower kelvin bulb will increase the light in the tank even though it might appear to be yellower. Intensity and par are different. With a 6500K bulb par will increase. With a 12000k bulb par will decrease. That 18000K Hagen runs the same as a 11000K bulb as I have tested it over my tank with a quantum meter.

Ive been right where you are at with the T5 lighting and watching my stuff shrivel and even seeing sps bleach in the top of the tank. I can almost Garauntee if you can do a little test and get some shade over those shrooms you will see a difference.
 
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Its also about understanding WHERE the shrooms came from in the real world.

Knowing where the coral came from and at what depth will tell you a lot about what you can keep with the lights you have.
I have an awesome book that explains the coral and light requirements.
 
Its also about understanding WHERE the shrooms came from in the real world.

Knowing where the coral came from and at what depth will tell you a lot about what you can keep with the lights you have.
I have an awesome book that explains the coral and light requirements.

what book is it. I dont have ANY books at all. I should pick up one or two for quick referrence and what-not
 
The book I use is "corals for the Mini-Reef Aquarium" by Dr. Herbert Axelrad
I have several books I use but I always end up to this one.

I dont know if its the best to have but it give info on a lot of different corals lighting requirements. Loaded with prefect color pictures to identify also.
 
I added about 20 more lbs of LR to try an create some shade and shelving for coral. I put the shrooms back in my display from my sump, and for the most part they look better.

I did some research on the Red Mushrooms, and they appear to require a little more like than others. and my green hairy shrooms require low-moderate light. I also did a 20% water change when adding the LR. I hope things will turn around for me.lol. I'd like to be able to start growing more than just kenya. :)
 

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